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No communication. Limited power. An unbreakable will to survive. A violent blast of solar magnetic radiation plunges much of Earth into darkness. From the decaying orbit of the powerless ISS to a devolving Southeast Texas neighborhood and a secret doomsday bunker buried deep underneath the Colorado Rockies, The SpaceMan Chronicles tells the story of a stranded astronaut, his family and friends on the ground, and a shadowy conspiracy to rebuild the world in the shape of a new society.
Five years after a pneumonic plague killed two-thirds of the world's population, army veteran Marcus Battle is isolated. He's alone with his guns, his food, and the graves of his wife and child. Unaware of the chaos that's befallen everything outside of his central Texas ranch land, Marcus lives a Spartan life. If anyone steps onto his property, he shoots first and never asks questions. But when a woman in distress, chased by marauders, seeks asylum, Marcus has a decision to make.
If society collapsed, could you survive? When Morgan Carter's car breaks down 250 miles from his home, he figures his weekend plans are ruined. But things are about to get much, much worse: the country's power grid has collapsed. There is no electricity, no running water, no Internet, and no way to know when normalcy will be restored - if it ever will be.
Author Chris Pike's debut novel Unexpected World is a gritty and compelling survival tale about human courage and steadfast determination to live, to endure, and to persevere against all odds. Assistant District Attorney Dillon Stockdale is on the phone with his daughter when an EMP obliterates the entire electrical grid of the United States. Anything relying on a computer is fried, including the plane his daughter is on.
The North Koreans launch a surprise Nuclear EMP attack on the USA. Our hero, Joe doesn't care about politics or what happened, he just knows his world went to Hell. Planes fell out of the sky, people went nuts looting and killing as he scrambled to hide from all of the craziness. Joe had a cabin and land in Southern Oregon when TSHTF and retreated to the cabin to survive the massive die-off that was always predicted for an apocalypse. The weeks before the Grid went down weren't much better for Joe because his best friend, his fiancé, and his beloved Grandma all died before lights out.
When a massive solar flare fries the electrical grid, Captain Jordan Hughes' problems are just starting. Stranded far from home with a now-priceless cargo of fuel and a restless crew, Hughes weighs his options as violence worsens ashore and the world crumbles around the secure little world of his ship, the Pecos Trader.
No communication. Limited power. An unbreakable will to survive. A violent blast of solar magnetic radiation plunges much of Earth into darkness. From the decaying orbit of the powerless ISS to a devolving Southeast Texas neighborhood and a secret doomsday bunker buried deep underneath the Colorado Rockies, The SpaceMan Chronicles tells the story of a stranded astronaut, his family and friends on the ground, and a shadowy conspiracy to rebuild the world in the shape of a new society.
Five years after a pneumonic plague killed two-thirds of the world's population, army veteran Marcus Battle is isolated. He's alone with his guns, his food, and the graves of his wife and child. Unaware of the chaos that's befallen everything outside of his central Texas ranch land, Marcus lives a Spartan life. If anyone steps onto his property, he shoots first and never asks questions. But when a woman in distress, chased by marauders, seeks asylum, Marcus has a decision to make.
If society collapsed, could you survive? When Morgan Carter's car breaks down 250 miles from his home, he figures his weekend plans are ruined. But things are about to get much, much worse: the country's power grid has collapsed. There is no electricity, no running water, no Internet, and no way to know when normalcy will be restored - if it ever will be.
Author Chris Pike's debut novel Unexpected World is a gritty and compelling survival tale about human courage and steadfast determination to live, to endure, and to persevere against all odds. Assistant District Attorney Dillon Stockdale is on the phone with his daughter when an EMP obliterates the entire electrical grid of the United States. Anything relying on a computer is fried, including the plane his daughter is on.
The North Koreans launch a surprise Nuclear EMP attack on the USA. Our hero, Joe doesn't care about politics or what happened, he just knows his world went to Hell. Planes fell out of the sky, people went nuts looting and killing as he scrambled to hide from all of the craziness. Joe had a cabin and land in Southern Oregon when TSHTF and retreated to the cabin to survive the massive die-off that was always predicted for an apocalypse. The weeks before the Grid went down weren't much better for Joe because his best friend, his fiancé, and his beloved Grandma all died before lights out.
When a massive solar flare fries the electrical grid, Captain Jordan Hughes' problems are just starting. Stranded far from home with a now-priceless cargo of fuel and a restless crew, Hughes weighs his options as violence worsens ashore and the world crumbles around the secure little world of his ship, the Pecos Trader.
In a night of devastating terror, ISIS operatives have unleashed a coordinated attack on America's infrastructure. With thousands of trapped travelers and scarce law enforcement, the miles between Jim Powell and his family become a brutal gauntlet where the rules of civilized society no longer apply. As Jim puts his years of preparation and planning to the test, he is forced to ask himself if he has what it takes to make it home. Does he have the strength - the brutality - required to meet this new world toe-to-toe?
Lauren Russell often wondered why her father had been so adamant about teaching her skills that most other fathers wouldn't even consider teaching their daughters. Ever since she was little, she had been taught how to live and survive outdoors, and how to use firearms to protect herself and those around her. Some of the training had been a bit extreme. Or had it been? Many of her questions were answered the day the world as she knew it ended.
The survivors have come to settle in the mountains of Wyoming, fighting day in and day out to establish a home for themselves in a near-empty world. Things are good at first; scavenging is a workable, short-term solution that seems to be providing all they need. But they know that it’s only a matter of time before the food runs out. They need to scramble to find a sustainable solution before the clock stops, and for a little handful of people up in the mountains, the odds don’t seem very favorable.
In the year 2030 the Maunder Minimum, a period of solar inactivity, will cause a mini-ice age like it did between the years 1645 and 1710. When it does, Bishop will have to save her not only from the effects of severe weather but also from man himself. Maeve Tildon and her son Ben live alone in the rural town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Since her husband died in the war, she's barely kept her head above water, and when the first freeze strikes in the fall, she's completely unprepared for what lies ahead.
As a prepper, Grayson Rowan was prepared for almost anything...anything other than being totally alone when the sh*t hits the fan. While he sat back and watched the US rattle swords with Korea, play chicken with Russia, and strong-arm China, he felt sure if the lights went out that he and his family would be ready and safe. What he wasn't prepared for was his family not being home if it ever happened. Olivia Rowan is with her sisters, Gabby and Emma, on a girls-only trip to Myrtle Beach. Graysie Rowan, a freshman at university, just wants to go home.
Grace Hardwick's dad is a science fiction writer who makes his living destroying the world. When Grace decides to go away for her first year of college her dad, Robert, can't help but think of all of the potential ways that society could collapse and strand his daughter hundreds of miles from home. Then, near the end of her freshman year, it happens.
Ripley's a tomboy at heart who has never met a stranger. Her plans were to finish her veterinary studies and take her family to the country, where life wouldn't be such a struggle. She thought the worst she'd have to deal with at the University of Maryland were the unwelcome advances and attitudes of affluent students, and the occasional East Coast hurricane. She never expected the sun to fall down.
For decades, American administrations have forced our military to be neutered in many respects - hampered by restrained rules of engagement, passed in strength by Russia and China, and tested by rogue nations like North Korea and Iran. As a result, nuclear Armageddon hangs over us like a mighty sword. Military analysts agree that the United States can't start World War III. Why? We might lose. Sabers are rattling, and the war of words escalate between America and her enemies....
Three people from different walks of life each experience the end of America. Cassy is a 33-year-old prepper and single mother, away on business. Ethan is a hacker and conspiracy nut living underground. Frank is a family man out camping with friends and family. When a devastating EMP attack in the middle of the night destroys America's infrastructure, they are propelled on an unforgettable journey across an ocean of chaos to reach safety...Safety from an unknown invader and from once-fellow Americans now hungry and desperate.
A college student in Knoxville. An Irish couple on their dream vacation in Orlando. A bank robber in an Atlanta prison...what do they all have in common? They are survivors of vPx073, the most deadly virus ever to be unleashed on the planet. One that has brought civilization to a standstill.
Rick is like many Americans. He's concerned with what he sees on the news, and how the country seems to be ready to tear itself apart. His biggest concern has been civil unrest. Already an avid camper, he sets out to secure his future, and career, by finding his own Eden.
The Superpox-99 virus has wiped out nearly the entire human race. Governments have collapsed. Cities have become graveyards filled with unspeakable horror. People have resorted to scavenging from the dead, or taking from the living. The entire industrialized world has become a wasteland of abandoned cars, decaying bodies, and feral animals. To stay alive, U.S. Deputy Marshal Mason Raines must forage for food, water, and gasoline while outgunning those who seek to take advantage of the apocalyptic anarchy. Together with his giant Irish wolfhound, Bowie, he aligns with survivors of the town of Boone in a life and death struggle against a gang of violent criminals. With each deadly encounter, Mason is force to accept his place as one of the nation's few remaining lawmen. In a world now populated by escaped convicts, paranoid mutants, and government hit squads, his only hope to save the townspeople is to enforce his own brand of frontier justice.
Clayton Shepard dropped from the sky. Twice.
Now, in the wake of twin cataclysmic blasts of energy from the sun, he is earthbound and far from home.
While his family and friends seek safe harbor in an increasingly dangerous Texas, Clayton is forced underground in Colorado.
He must free himself and finally find a way home in a world quickly slipping farther into the dark ages.
This was a fitting ending to the Spaceman journey. I was rooting for our characters throughout the entire series and it kept getting better with each installment. It seemed like all the separate storylines converged into one grand storyline at just the right time. The author does a great job again using a combo of wit, sarcasm and pop culture references to keep the listener engaged while having them laughing at moments. The narrator (Kevin Pierce) does not disappoint with his performance and kept it consistent throughout the entire series. He took the author's wit and brought it to life. The author does leave somethings to mystery at the end of the book and personally I can smell some spin off stories or side novellas. I am okay with the mystery on one hand but on the other I am nosy and want to know what eventually happens to all of our rag tag group of survivors. This is a really good series with great narration that will leave you cheering for our group and sad at other points of the story. So give it a try and you will learn to love the Spaceman.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
4.5 out of 5 stars
This series, in general, has taken a big leap from where it started, but I’ve been enjoying the new twists and turns that Abrahams writes into each new chapter. Retrograde is a novel about a crash astronaut trying to find his family and return to them. Along the way, he finds out a lot more than he bargained for.
Retrograde is a novel about a crash astronaut trying to find his family and return to them. Along the way, he finds out a lot more than he bargained for.
Retrograde was much more “conspiracy theory” focused than the other two books and honestly one of the first books in the post-apocalyptic genre that I’ve read that was this focused on a government-wide conspiracy. The scary part about it is that it didn’t seem far from the truth. Abrahams wrote about it in a way that didn’t feel kooky or far fetched. It was incredibly realistic and believable.
The sad thing about this book is that if I write any more I will give it away. There are definite twists and turns and some new characters introduced, but Retrograde is full of “endings” to stories that were brought up in the first two books. The series could end here and I would walk away happy. But, I have a feeling there are one to two more books left up Abrahams sleeve.
The story itself felt like it competed with the first book in the series for “most complete”. It really followed a nice arc throughout and didn’t leave a lot of things hanging. As a reader, I always enjoy finishing a book that feels finished.
Kevin Pierce narrated Retrograde and, as always, does a wonderful job with it. His narration allowed an already enjoyable story to become more enjoyable. It flowed from beginning to end with his narration leading the way.
I received a free copy of this book. It has not affected my review of my opinion.
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I loved this latest installment to the series. Tom Abrahams is a master story writer.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Thanks for all your hard work and letting me listen. Excellent characters and compelling story.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Where does Retrograde rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
exactly what I've come to expect from Tom Abrahams
Who was your favorite character and why?
Deep Six Nikki. any girl who fights in an MMA ring has my respect.
Which character – as performed by Kevin Pierce – was your favorite?
Treadgold. I love the way KP does the villain's voices.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
the ending, of course. family reunited.
Any additional comments?
thanks, Tom. for once again doing such a great job of making the eloquence of writing seem so simple. fantastic job. Kevin Pierce is just the icing on the cake.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Amazing story!!! Loved it!!! Tom is an amazing wrier!!! Can't wait to listen to my next purchase!!!!
Good apoc story. Didnt get lost in tech talk. Very good. Enjoyed it very much.
What did you like best about Retrograde? What did you like least?
Best...some of the thoughtful scenarios and dialogue scenes were worthwhile.Least...without a doubt Abrahams used this series as a bully pulpit for what appears to be a libertarian/prepper/individual rights rule over community/government is bad POV. Granted, the author has full right to do so, and I paid for these books so in some way I am responsible for funding this, but as this book moved on it became so explicit that it overwhelmed other aspects of what otherwise might have been compelling. Too bad, but his choice.
What could Tom Abrahams have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
Get off the soap box, and drive the story notwithstanding.
What does Kevin Pierce bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
KP was excellent in this series, being consistent, creative and dynamic. I would note that even he seemed to tire of the histrionics towards the end as well. Plus, was there really and end?
Could you see Retrograde being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
I sure hope not. Maybe on Fox, or The Blaze.
Any additional comments?
OK look. Interesting, character driven series, with a great deal of creativity, and research. Well done there. HOWEVER, turned into a political screed as anything else, and became more and more pronounced as it moved on. Candidly, even TA seemed to revisit this at the end when some of the primary characters questioned their own motives and actions ( which, at times, were ridiculously selfish ). All told, a decent series, but certainly with many caveats as laid out here. Moderately recommended, with asterisks.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful